1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to medical devices and, in particular, to test strip ejection mechanisms, related test meters and related methods.
2. Description of Related Art
The determination (e.g., detection and/or concentration measurement) of an analyte in a fluid sample is of particular interest in the medical field. For example, it can be desirable to determine glucose, ketones, cholesterol, acetaminophen and/or HbA1c concentrations in a sample of a bodily fluid such as urine, blood or interstitial fluid. Such determinations can be achieved using analyte test strips, based on, for example, photometric or electrochemical techniques, along with an associated test meter.
During use, a single test strip is typically inserted into a test meter. Following determination of an analyte in a bodily fluid sample applied to the test strip, the test strip is removed from the test meter and discarded. Conventional approaches to inserting and removing a test strip from a test meter are described in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,266,179; 5,366,609; and 5,738,244; and U.S. Patent Application Publication 2009/0108013, each of which is hereby incorporated in full by reference.